Pallet



Feb. 5, 1952 F. A. VOSSENBERG PALLET 2 SHEET S--Sl-IEET 1 Filed April 28, 1945 FIG. 2.

, lNl/EN TOR Wxzw A TTOR/VEV Feb. 5, 1952 F. A. VOSSENBERG PALLET Filed April 28, 1945 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 FIG. 3.

FIG. 4.

// INVEN TOR ATTORNEY plate and load deposited on the pallet. Figs. 3

and 4 are further views of the parts of Fig. 2 showing the manner in which the lift forks of the truck are inserted between the pallet and the load.

Referring now more particularly to the drawlngs, the pallet of my invention is of the general type well known in the art and having upper and 5 lower floors l and H held in spaced and assembled relation by stringers or spacers l2, I3 and I4. For the purposes of this invention, the edges of the pallet are scalloped or cut out at several points l for a purpose to be indicated presently.

At the present time, it is customary to place a load directly on the upper floor l0 of the pallet, and then to lift the pallet and load by inserting between the floors oi the pallet lifting forks I 6 of a standard type of truck T. In accordance with the teachings of this invention, the load, instead of being placed directly on the upper floor 10 of the pallet, is placed on some sort of spacer plate designated by reference numeral II. In actual operation I have used a spacer plate formed of corrugated paper, of cardboard, and even plywood.

The load, here comprising a series of cartons C, is placed on the spacer plate I! as illustrated. It will be noted that the spacer plate I! overlies certain of the cutout or scalloped portions ['5 of the pallet. Therefore, when the forks 16 of the truck T are placed in the position of Fig. 2 relatively to the scalloped or cutout portions I5, and are then raised to the position of Fig. 3, the said forks will actually separate the spacer plate ll from the pallet. Also, the forks 16 will, as illustrated in Fig. 3, be in a position to be wedged or pushed further to the right so as to move into position between the spacer l1 and the pallet; This movement of the forks is possible because there is relatively little friction between the steel of the forks and the paper and/or wood surfaces of the spacer and pallet. Of course, when the forks are inserted fully into a position between the spacer and the pallet, the forks may be elevated as shown in Fig. 4 to remove the load I entirely from the pallet.

It will be well to indicate at this point that the lower cutouts l5 are used, not only to obtain reversability of the pallet, but to assist in the positioning of the forks of the truck. Thus, the operator of the truck will not be able, ordinarily, to see the upper cutouts and to register his forks relatively thereto. He will, however, be able to see the lower cutouts, and by registering his forks relatively to the said lower cutouts, he will correctly position the forks under the spacer plate. As shown, my pallet is designed for coaction with a truck having but two forks, but naturally a truck with more forks may be used by increasing the numberof cutouts I 5. It will be well alsd'tdkihdicat that, frequentlmgitwill be possible to' dispense with the cutouts 'l 5 in the pallet by merely extending the spacer plate beyond the pallet into overlying relation thereto and for cooperation with the forks. Of course, the preferred form of the invention utilizes the scalloped or cutout portions 15 as has been emphasized hereinabove. I

I believe that those skilled in the art will now readily appreciate that by the simple addition of the spacer plate in overhanging relation to portions of'the pallet, I am able to utilize the forks of a truck for lifting the spacer and its load off the pallet. V

In a combination of the class described, a pallet having-upper" and lower load supporting floors held in :spaced relation for the insertion of lifting forks or the liketherebetween, each of said floors having. particularly formed vertically aligned and relatively shallow scallops in at least the forward edges'o'f-the said upper and lower floors, saidload supporting floors being each adapted to have applied directly thereto a load spacer and to have the load deposited on said load spacer'whereby to space the load from the load supporting fioonthe said load spacer having portions thereof overlying the said relatively shallow scallops particularly formed in the edges of said load supporting floors whereby the forks of a lift truck when raised'upwardly in registry with said scallops will pass through said scallops to contact the under surface of said load spacer, substantially for the purpose described.

FRANK A. VOSSENBERG.

REFERENCES CITED UNITE grams PATENTS Number Name Date 699,475 -5 Bechte1: May 6, 1902 1,018,087" .Staude 1 Feb. 20, 1912 1,741,189 Jencks Dec. 31, 1929 1,835,825-v Thierry Dec. 8, 1931 1,890,143 Bales Dec. 6, 1932 1,942,870 Mathews Jan. 9, 1934 2,119,112 Mitchell May 31, 1938 2,186,463 '-Maine Jan. 9, 1940 2,226,294 Erickson Dec. 24, 1940- 2,302,-137 r Neuman.:- Nov. 17, 1942. 2,328,397- Neuman.f". a' Aug. 31, 1943 2,371,106" Lewis et al. Man-6, 1945 2,371,878 Cruickshank Mar. 20, 1945 2,372,055 Braun Mar. 20, 1945 2,412,184. ".Ulinski'- Dec. 3, 1946 

